episode_0077

Third round. Moving seats every hour felt like some kind of group blind date. As soon as I started to get comfortable, it was time to move again, and the cycle repeated.

In the end, every time we moved the table, I was the center of attention, just like a rotating dish.

Most of the people I had some contact with were my old buddies from school, like Samsoo (they all had names ending in ‘Soo’ so they were nicknamed that). The rest either drifted apart over time or were never really close to begin with.

“So, Dohyun, I mean Doyeon now, right? You changed your name in the morning, right? Anyway, how do you feel after the change? Still working at the same company? How’s your family?”

They were curious, but they didn’t know that I was divorced, leading to such mistakes.

“Wow, that sounds great. Hey, I might consider changing genders if it means getting ten years younger. Lately, every time I look in the mirror, I feel like I’m aging.”

Making such bold statements.

“…”

They didn’t say anything, but their disapproving glances made me feel uncomfortable, adding to the exhausting atmosphere.

I was able to endure that time surprisingly well.

“Hey, why are you so curious? Ask me. Don’t you have anything you want to know about me?”

“Damn, there are things you say and things you don’t. Get some common sense. Is your head filled with crap?”

“Uh, what’s with that look? I have 112 dialed on my phone, can I press the call button?”

Luckily, Chulsoo was there to cover for me, as if he knew this would happen. Maybe he brought me here on purpose.

Despite the tiresome moments, there were some who asked normal questions or offered comforting words, so it didn’t end too badly.

When Chulsoo and I returned to our original seats, the closing time of the place was approaching.

“Well, well. Since it’s closing time, those who need to go home can leave, and those who want to go for a second round, let’s gather and decide first.”

The class president stood up to tidy up, and our table agreed not to go for a second round.

“I’m tired, so I’ll call it a night here.”

Hyunsoo, who had taken the kids to the amusement park earlier, was the first to retire.

“My wife told me to avoid going for a second round. We’ve been having a lot of work dinners lately, so I came here cautiously. Hehe, while I’m down here, I might as well play games to my heart’s content.”

I found myself nodding in agreement to his typical husband-like statement.

“What about you?”

With two out of four already leaving, and only Chulsoo left, I wondered if I should follow him for another drink.

“I, uh, should probably go home. My mom will just nag at me if I stay out longer. If you’re okay, I’ll go somewhere else for another drink?”

I said ‘if you’re okay’, but my eyes seemed to be asking for another drink, so I unknowingly nodded. I must have been quite restless at home yesterday.

“Alright, where should we go?”

“How about a wine bar? Or a pub? Anywhere is fine with me.”

In reality, it didn’t matter where we went, as long as it wasn’t home. I suggested a wine bar where we could have a drink without any worries, and he agreed, saying anywhere was fine as long as it wasn’t home.

“You’re starting to sound like our boss with your reactions.”

There’s a saying that as men get older, they become afraid of going home, even if it’s not a wife, nagging is still nagging.

“Shall we get going then?”

“Sure.”

The three of us had all arranged for chauffeurs to pick us up, so as soon as each of us received a call from our respective drivers, we began to leave one by one.

“Oh? It seems my driver has arrived. By the way, will you be coming down for the holidays?”

Hyunsoo asked as he got up first.

“I’m not sure. I think we’ll decide based on how the in-laws feel. Or we might come down separately afterwards.”

It was a bit sad to think that we had to consider the wealth and status of the in-laws before coming down.

“Ugh… damn it. I don’t want to go down.”

Perhaps due to the stress he had been under recently, Cheolsu frowned and shook his head.

“If you don’t go down, your mother will nag at you again, won’t she?”

Knowing Cheolsu’s mother well since childhood, I knew what to say, so I just shrugged my shoulders.

“Anyway, let’s meet up again during the holidays. It was nice meeting you today, I’ll head off first.”

With that, Hyunsoo left first. Soon after, Kangsoo’s chauffeur arrived and he left as well.

“Has your call not come yet?”

“No, not yet.”

Cheolsu was fiddling with his phone quietly. After a while, he made a puzzled expression.

“Oh, I got a text. It says the reservation has been canceled. Why do they only send texts instead of calling?”

He seemed like he was about to call the chauffeur again.

“Are you really not going?”

At that moment, the alumni president approached us and asked.

“Why don’t we go together? Hyunsoo and Kangsoo went together anyway. It’s better to go for a drink with two people than alone…”

As he said that, the alumni president quickly glanced at me. For some reason, his gaze made me feel a little uncomfortable.

Cheolsu also noticed it and frowned, but before he could say anything, I quickly intervened.

“Oh, we’re not going for a drink separately, we’re just going in first to check it out. Actually, I’m feeling a bit tired. The doctor said my hormone levels are still unstable, so that could be why. So I asked Cheolsu to give me a ride since we’re going in anyway.”

Since it didn’t seem like these guys were going to a wine bar for the second round, the alumni president seemed to understand and nodded.

“Ah, you’re still not feeling well. Well, take care.”

“Oh, come on. It’s not like I’m dying.”

After dealing with him briefly, the alumni left with the others. As they left, I let out a deep sigh and nudged Cheolsu.

“You need to fix that habit of getting angry. I was on edge just now, you know?”

If I hadn’t stepped in first, he would have definitely cursed out the alumni president like he did when we were walking around the table earlier.

“You’re rolling your eyes like crazy, man.”

“Ugh… fine. Thanks for getting mad in my place. And for helping earlier.”

Hyunsoo is calm, Kangsoo is playful and straightforward, but Cheolsu tends to get angry easily. So, whenever he got angry in the past, I always had to step in and calm things down. But his anger was usually related to our friends, so we just teased him lightly without taking it too seriously.

“Alright. No need to thank me. Oh, I got a call.”

Cheolsu waved it off as if it was nothing, then answered the phone call from the chauffeur.

“Oh, yes. You’ve arrived? Okay. I’ll be right out.”

After ending the call, he got up and said to me, “The driver has arrived. Let’s go.”

I grabbed my bag and got up to follow him.

At the entrance of the cafe’s parking lot, a young man in his early thirties stood waiting for us and asked, “Did you call for a driver?”

“Yes, right here.”

Chulsoo handed the keys over, and the chauffeur accepted them, promptly opening the back seat door.

“Please get in.”

Chulsoo pushed me into the back seat first before boarding the car himself.

Soon, the chauffeur sat in the driver’s seat and asked, “Where shall I take you?”

Chulsoo glanced at me hesitantly, and I handed the chauffeur the wine bar I had searched for on my phone to input into the navigation system.

“Please take us there.”

“Alright, understood.”

As the car started moving, it wasn’t long before the chauffeur suddenly asked, “Are you two coming back from a gathering?”

Chulsoo seemed annoyed by the question, so I answered, “Oh, yes. Just a alumni meeting…”

“Oh, I see. Are you both accompanied by your spouses?”

“Yes, um, yes?”

Seeing my flustered expression, the chauffeur also seemed flustered and quickly corrected himself, “Oh, I see. You’re not a couple or spouses, just alumni. Haha.”

“Oh, no, no. Thank you for the compliment, but we’re not a couple or spouses, just alumni. Haha.”

“Oh! I’m sorry. You two looked so good together, I made a mistake. Haha.”

As I hurriedly denied it, the chauffeur awkwardly scratched the back of his head, “It seems like you two are very close, going for a drink together.”

“Yes, it’s an old…”

“Um, driver. Let’s just go quietly.”

“Yes, yes? Oh, yes…”

Chulsoo suddenly butted into our conversation, making the atmosphere awkward. I glared at him as if to scold him, but he just briefly met my gaze before turning his head to look out the window.